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California's unemployment rate fell slightly in March to 9.4 from 9.6 percent, according to the Labor Department. The state added 25,500 jobs in March, a significant chunk of the 88,000 jobs that were added in the U.S. that month.

"Southern California's counties have experienced increased momentum since the middle of last year, enabling the local economies to chip away at unemployment rates that are still well above normal," said Robert Kleinhenz, an economist with the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation.

The jobs being added now include white collar positions, from middle management to rocket scientists.

"These are the high wage, high tech jobs you like to see in the economy," said Loree Levy, a spokeswoman for the California Employment Development Department, which provides jobs data to the Labor Department.

"We're making good, steady progress, but there's a lot unemployed individuals who would like to see better progress," said Levy.

Seven of the ten employment sectors that the Labor Department tracks added jobs in March. The sectors that lost jobs were manufacturing and trade, transformation and utilities and government, which has been contracting because of budget cuts and sequestration.

Previously in The Breakdown

The Breakdown explains what's behind Southern California business and economic news. It describes the effects the headlines have on you: whether you're an investor, a business owner, an employee, homeowner, consumer or just someone who wants to know how to save a buck.